The RFL’s decision to fine Salford for failing to fulfil their fixture against Warrington in October is harsh in the extreme, and in my view, wrong.
The Red Devils, if you remember, had only 13 men available, and to get the game on, would have had to field players who were just back from injury.
While Warrington would have been able to make interchanges, all 13 in Salford colours faced playing for the full 80 minutes.
It’s not very often you find so many fans of different clubs united on an issue. I haven’t seen any support for the governing body on this one.
When you think about what all clubs and their players did to get the season finished in such exceptional and testing circumstances, the effort put in and the sacrifices made, I think all involved deserve praise not punishment.
You also have to question the principle of imposing a financial penalty of whatever size on a club at a time when income has been hit so drastically.
Salford, who were in the middle of an especially busy spell, have spoken of their ‘huge disappointment’ at the decision, and I’m not surprised.
I’m also hugely disappointed – at the RFL.
Season’s Greetings
What a year it has been for us all, and since this is my final column of 2020 (the next issue of League Express is out on Monday, January 4), I’d like to take this opportunity to wish all readers a happy Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year.
Hopefully we will back to some kind of normality at some stage of 2021, and I’m already looking forward to watching the matches and writing about next season.
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